Love and Football
by JuliaBeth
Summary: Updated. Chapter Five is up. Read to find out. Please Read and review.
1. First Meetings

Sheryl was seated in Petey Jones' history class. Even after three weeks of high school, the thought of Petey as a teacher still tripped her out. To her, he would always be a hot headed linebacker for the Titans, not her teacher but she had to admit, she loved his class. It was great. He was always coming up with new and exciting ways to teach them history. His lectures never quite seemed like lectures.  
  
Nikki Boone, her best friend since they were nine and a half years old sat on her right, an empty chair on her left. She sat, pen in hand, ready to take notes. Petey's, Mr. Jones' class was fun, but it was hard. Nikki leaned over as if picking up something, and dropped a note on her desk.  
  
Sheryl kept it out of Petey's sight while she opened it.  
  
Is it just my imagination, or can you hear "Petey, why are you fumbling my football?" Eveytime you look at him?  
  
Nikki  
  
  
  
Sheryl held her breath to keep from giggling as she wrote back,  
  
No, I always hear. "Stop slanting to the strong side." Whenever I look at him.  
  
Nikki wasn't as successfull as Sheryl at hiding her laughter, earning both girls a hard look from Mr. Jones.  
  
He didn't have time to scold the girls, though he could never come down to hard on those two, as a knock on the door interrupted his class.  
  
"Come in," he called. The assistant principal walked in followed by a boy with long brown hair and green eyes.  
  
"Mr. Jones, this is Mark Gardner, he just transfered here from Monroe, Louisiana. He'll be joining your class. Make him feel welcome," with that, she handed Petey a stack of papers and left.  
  
"Well, Mark, you're from Monroe?" Petey asked.  
  
"Yes, sir. And its Trey."  
  
"Trey?" Petey repeated.  
  
"Yes, sir. Mark Anthony Gardner the Third. Trey."  
  
"Are you an Indian fan, Trey?"  
  
"Yes sir!" Trey grinned. "NLU all the way!!!!!!!!! How do you know about NLU?"  
  
"My fiancee' went to school at Grambling," he answered.  
  
"Aww.. man, Grambling sucks. Tigers suck, Lion's rule."  
  
"Huh?" Petey was expecting Indians rule or something along those lines. He didn't know where Lions had come into the picture.  
  
"I was starting quarterback for the Ouachita Lions," Trey answered, surprised his teacher was interested in talking about football in the middle of class. "Our rival is the Neville Tigers. Tigers suck."  
  
Petey laughed. He hated to tell the boy, but at T.C. Williams, Lions 'sucked', since that was Goverton High's mascot. "Well, here, you'll be a Titan, if you play, and the Titan's rule thier universe."  
  
"Titan," Trey repeated. "That could be cool."  
  
"It is. Take that seat, there." Petey pointed to the empty seat next to Sheryl. "Class is almost over today, but I'll see about getting you a textbook for tomorrow."  
  
Petey also didn't want to be the one to tell Mr. Mark Anthony Gardner the Third that if he did go out for football, the first thing Coach and Boone were going to do was cut off that brown ponytail.  
  
He slid into the seat beside Sheryl. The boy behind Sheryl cracked, "Football player, yeah right. He looks more like a cheerleader."  
  
"That's so intellegent," Trey replied. "I don't think I've ever heard that one before. NOT!"  
  
Sheryl rolled her eyes at Nikki before leaning over to Trey and saying, "Don't pay him no never mind. He's QB for the Titans right now, but he can't throw worth a flip. Least not for any distance. He knows that if you go out and you're any good at all, he'll go back to being a 2nd string running back instead of first string quarter back. It's just plain jealousy."  
  
"Thanks," he smiled, revealing darling little dimples in his cheeks. "I won't." Then he held out his hand. "Trey."  
  
"Sheryl." She put her hand in his. "By the way, are you going to go out for football here?"  
  
"Yes, definitely. If I'm not too late. I know ya'll've already played two games, but," he tried to sound optimistic, "I have a meeting with the Coachs this afternoon."  
  
"Well, good luck," Sheryl smiled. "I hope you're not overly fond of that ponytail."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You'll see." The bell rang and Sheryl and Nikki left while he was still waiting on Petey to find him a textbook. 


	2. Another class together?

As soon as Sheryl and Nikki were far enough away from Petey's door, Nikki said, "Girl, Trey is cute!"  
  
"Really," Sheryl pretended not to be interested. "I didn't notice."  
  
"Come on, Sher, you can not tell me you didn't notice those adorable dimples," she replied.  
  
"I can and I did, so drop it." Sheryl shot back. She reached her locker, but the boy who owned the one above it was in her way. "Campbell, move your big bee-hind out of my way." She gave Abraham Campbell, Julius's little brother, a playful shove.  
  
"Sheryl, quit playing with my butt. I know its irresistable, but please, try to restrain yourself," he teased.  
  
"Abe is having delussions again," Sheryl announced to everyone and no one in particular. No one even paid much attention except to laugh. Sheryl and Abe were always cracking on each other about something.  
  
"I am not delussional, you did touch my butt."  
  
"No, I touched your shoulder, but if you really want to know, I was refering to the fact that you said your rear end was irresistable." She replied, undaunted. "Now move it or lose it."  
  
He laughed and moved to the side. "As you wish, m'lady."  
  
"Go away."  
  
He grinned and bowed hefore he walked away.  
  
"That boy ain't right," she told Nikki. "I think he's been tackled one time too many."  
  
"Yeah, one time too many about ten times," she agreed. "What class do you have next?" She could barely remember her own schedule this early in the school year much less Sheryl's too.  
  
"Advanced Chemistry lab."  
  
"Yuck."  
  
"Tell me about it." Sheryl got her books and stood up. "I'll write you note."  
  
"Do that," Nikki replied. "I'll be looking for it. See you later."  
  
"Bye." They went off in different directions.  
  
Sheryl got to the science lab and took her seat. She, then, pulled out the previous day's notes and started going over them.  
  
"Is this seat taken?"  
  
She looked up. Trey.  
  
"Nope, all clear," she smiled. "There's only seven people in this class. We're not exactly fighting over seats."  
  
"I'll take that as an invite to sit down," he grinned.  
  
"Suit yourself," she shrugged.  
  
"So," he tried to make conversation. "How long have you lived here?"  
  
"All my life."  
  
"With your parents?"  
  
"My Daddy."  
  
"You're lucky. I hated having to move," he replied.  
  
"Why did you?"  
  
"My daddy's company transfered him here." He answered. "I had to leave my friends and everything. I was starting QB, played one game and then we had to move."  
  
"Was your team any good?"  
  
"We went to the Dome every year I played," he smiled with pride.  
  
"The Dome?"  
  
"Yeah, Louisiana state championships are played in the SuperDome," he replied. "You know where the New Orleans' Saints play."  
  
"Oh, well, I don't like the Saints," Sheryl answered.  
  
"AAUUCCKK!! UUGGHH!!" He pretend to be stabbed in the heart. "Not like the Saints? How can you say such a cruel thing to a Louisiana boy? You must be a Cowboys fan."  
  
"Nope, New York Jets."  
  
"The Jets?! Girl, are you crazy? You'd rather watch the Jets than Archie Manning?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"How do you know so much about football anyway?" His curiosity got the better of him.  
  
"Are you saying a girl can't know much about football?" She questioned.  
  
"No, that's not what I meant," he tried to explain. "It's just wierd, for a girl to be able to talk about football like you do, that's all."  
  
"So, now I'm wierd. I see how you're going to be." She moved her stool down to the other end of the lab table. He thought he had really made her mad until she looked back at him and grinned.  
  
He smiled to himself. Maybe Virginia wasn't going to so bad after all. 


	3. You again

Trey walked into the Coachs' office at the appointed time, however, due to circumstance they could not avoid, (no matter how hard they tried,) they were stuck in a facualty meeting. Sheryl and Nikki were there, though.  
  
"You, again," he said, seeing Sheryl. "And you, too," he acknowledged Nikki.  
  
"Nikki." She introduced herself.  
  
"Trey. Nice to meet you."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"What are ya'll doing in here?" He asked.  
  
"Where else should the Coachs' daughters be afterschool?" Nikki replied.  
  
"Coachs' daughters?"  
  
"Yep," Sheryl answered. "Nikki Boone and Sheryl Yoast." She smiled sweetly. "Is there anything WE can do for you?"  
  
Nikki nearly choked on her Dr. Pepper. Was tom-boy Sheryl actually flirting with someone?  
  
"Can ya' put me on the team?" He flirted back.  
  
She looked at Nikki. "Can we put him on the team?"  
  
Nikki looked as though she was considering this for a moment. "Umm, that would be a No."  
  
Sheryl looked back at Trey. "No. You'll have to face Coach, Doc, and Boone, just like everyone else on the team.  
  
"Had to try," he shrugged. He sat down in front of Sheryl. "Is this team any good?  
  
"7 championships in 7 years," Sheryl replied, proudly. "81 wins, 7 perfect seasons."  
  
"Wow." That was impressive.  
  
"Wow is right. Coach and Boone demand perfection, nothing less. Don't ever fumble the football, but they'll tell you all that." She stated.  
  
"Who are you?" Boone asked, as he walked into the room.  
  
Trey shot to his feet. "Trey Gardner."  
  
At the Coachs' blank looks, he said, "Sorry. Mark Gardner, transfer student from Monroe, Louisiana. This was the time I was told to meet with you."  
  
"Oh, right," Boone remembered. "The QB. Son, you do know our season has already started?"  
  
"Yes, sir," he replied. "We had started back home, too. I know you've already got your team set and all, but please, just give me a tryout. Then, if you don't like the way I play, I won't bother you again."  
  
Boone and Coach looked at each, silently conferring. After both men had nodded, Boone said, "Okay, we'll give you a tryout tomorrow afternoon, with a few conditions, of course."  
  
"Yes, sir." Trey smiled. "What conditions?"  
  
"First you will report here at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. If you show up at 3:01, you will not be playing football this season, you will be watching from the stands," Boone answered. "Second, these papers," he handed him a stack of papers Trey thought was roughly the size of War and Peace, "have to be filled out by your parents and signed before you report here tomorrow."  
  
"Yes, sir. Anything else?"  
  
"A haircut," Coach replied.  
  
Trey slid his hands through his now unbound hair, a nervous habit he had picked up years before. He wasn't so sure about this anymore. Play football, and lose his hair, or keep his hair and sit in the stands. Put that way, it was no contest. Hair could grow back, his junior year football season wouldn't.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"And shave. Our boys are clean cut," Coach finished.  
  
Trey gulped. He had such a baby face without his goatee.  
  
One last, "Yes, sir," before he made his goodbyes. 


	4. Tryouts and Do you like him?

The next day, when Trey walked into history, Sheryl almost didn't recognize him. His hair was cut short, almost military style, and his goatee was gone.  
  
"Boy, they all but scalped you, son," Petey laughed. "Sunshine would count his blessing if he saw you."  
  
"Yes, sir," Trey laughed, but only at the scalping part. He didn't know who Sushine was or why they would be amused at his haircut.  
  
"Who's Sunshine?" He asked, taking his seat by Sheryl. She seemed to know everything else, so why not that, too.  
  
"The first boy who tried to go out for the Titans with long hair. Coach cut it for him, up at camp. His name was, is, Ronnie Bass, but Petey, Mr. Jones, gave him the nickname Sunshine cause he was from California and had blonde hair," she explianed.  
  
"Mr. Jones played here?"  
  
"On the first and second teams ever," she nodded.  
  
"Cool. So are you going to be there to cheer for me when I get my try out this afternoon?"  
  
"I'll be there," she answered. Just as he was about to grin that cocky grin of his, she added, "But not to cheer for you."  
  
"All right, everybody," Petey said. "Let's get down to business."  
  
Sheryl turned away from Trey.  
  
Nikki passed her a note.  
  
"Sheryl and Trey, sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g......"  
  
Sheryl rolled her eyes and wrote back,  
  
"Nikki, my dear friend, you need some serious pyschological help, BUT, not now."  
  
  
  
That afternoon, Trey got to the field house at 2:59. He had ran all the way from his last class. He dressed out in the uniform Yoast gave him and walked out onto the field.  
  
"Gardner," Boone called out. Trey walked over to him. "I like that haircut and shave. Your coach back in Louisiana sent a letter for me with your file. He said you were a good QB. Have you ever run a split veer?"  
  
"A few times," Trey answered.  
  
"Alright, get in there and show us what those cajun boys can do."  
  
Trey grinned and pulled his helmet on. He was good, and he knew it. He took the quarter back position and gave the practice his all.  
  
Nikki and Sheryl were sitting on the bench watching the practice unfold. When Trey missed a pass, Sheryl groaned, when it was on target, she whooped. Nikki did, too. Trey was cool and seemed to bring out soemthing in her shy best friend.  
  
"Do you like him?" She finally asked.  
  
"Yeah," Sheryl replied, casually. "He's cool."  
  
Nikki sighed. Sometimes Sheryl was as dense as a mud. "That is not what I meant, Sheryl. I mean, do you LIKE like him?"  
  
"What?! No!"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. If I did you would have been the first to know it. We tell each other everything, don't we?"  
  
"Yeah. I was jsut curious."  
  
"Well, don't be."  
  
"Okay. Sheesh. Bite my head next time," Nikki giggled. Sheryl did like him, she just didn't know it yet.  
  
  
  
"What do you think?" Boone asked Yoast. "Think we should let him play?"  
  
"He's good." Coach admitted. "We could use him."  
  
"Yeah." Boone fell silent for a moment the said, "That letter also said Gardner was a hot-headed, bad-ass, know-it-all, smart aleck who was proned to playing selfish, show-off football."  
  
Yoast smiled. "I have yet to see the hot-headed, bad-ass, know-it- all, smart aleck, show-off you couldn't handle. Let the boy play."  
  
Boone grinned. They did need a good QB if they were going to make thier 8th perfect season.  
  
"All right. He's in." He blew his whistle and montioned for the team to gather up. "Boys, we got ourselves a new QB. Trey Gardner. Another Titan brother. Treat him as such." With that, he dismissed them for the day.  
  
Trey was grinning from ear to ear as he walked over to Sheryl and Nikki.  
  
"How was that?" He asked Sheryl.  
  
"Making the team is easy," she answered. "Keeing your spot is the hard part. See you tomorrow. Nikki, call me later."  
  
She picked up her books and walked out to Coach's truck.  
  
"Does she always play this hard to get?" Trey asked Nikki.  
  
Nikki shrugged. "I wouldn't know. No one else has ever wanted to get her, or if they did, they didn't have the guts to try it. She has a whole football team of honorary big brothers and they all take thier job very seriously. Don't be discourged though. Got to run. Bye."  
  
Trey shook his head as he walked to the showers. Those were tthe two strangest chicks he had ever met, but he liked them. He just liked one more than the other. 


	5. A Fight

Sheryl was sitting on the track, waiting for Nikki to show up. Several of the guys on the team were already on the field, playing a pick up game.  
  
Abe threw the ball to Christopher Smith, who missed it by a mile. It landed at Sheryl's feet.  
  
"Hey, Sher!" Chris yelled. "Throw it back."  
  
"Yeah," Abe added, walking up beside Chris. "Only throw it back to me, cause this dude here, couldn't catch a BEACH BALL!"  
  
.  
  
"Man, shut up!" Chris replied. "You just can't throw."  
  
Sheryl laughed and threw the ball to Chris, who easily caught it. "Wanna play?" he asked.  
  
She thought about it for a minute, then hopped up. "Yeah, sure."  
  
"Cool, you can be on our team," Chris replied.  
  
"Yeah, maybe you can catch better than WonderBoy," Abe laughed.  
  
Sheryl walked out on the field. "What position?"  
  
"You can take Chris' place as running back."  
  
"Hey!" Chris protested.  
  
"Boy, get over there and block. Stick to your strengths."  
  
Sheryl laughed. Sweet, lovable Abe was a bossy butt on the field.  
  
"I AIN'T PLAYING WITH HER!!!"  
  
Sheryl looked up to see Paul Budds on the field.  
  
"What's the matter, Paul?" She asked. "Afraid I'll beat you?"  
  
"Of course not," he answered. "I just wouldn't want to see you get any dirt on that pretty face, baby."  
  
Chris leaned over and whispered to Abe. "Man is he just stupid, or has he been out in the sun too long?"  
  
"Just stupid," Abe answered. "Either way, she's gonna terminate him."  
  
But much to their surprise, she just replied, "You let me worry about my face, Budds. I'll see you in the endzone." She took her place.  
  
"Hey Sheryl, are you sure you want to play?" Trey asked, concerned. "You could get hurt. Some of these guys are pretty big."  
  
"Just watch me," she grinned.  
  
"Okay," he laughed and passed her the ball. She ran with more agility and speed than any guy on the team.  
  
One minute later, she was rushing past Paul to score a touchdown. He tripped in an attempt to catch her. "Oh, sorry, Paul, did you get any dirt on that pretty face?" She held out a hand to help him up and show no hard feelings.  
  
"Get your hand out of my face," he snapped. "I don't need your help."  
  
"Whatever," she tried to walk away. "Be an ass. I don't care."  
  
She spotted Nikki and started to leave.  
  
"Too bad your mom didn't stick around longer," Paul taunted. "Somebody needs to teach you how to act like a girl."  
  
Sheryl stopped and turned around. "What did you say?"  
  
"I said, somebody needs to teach you how to act like a lady, so you won't be such a bitch all the time." Paul answered.  
  
Sheryl punched him. Gave him a bloody lip in fact. Before any one could react, she knocked him down. Soon, the two of them were rolling around on the ground, trying to stop the other. In Paul's credit, he never hit her. Not so much becuase he didn't want to hit someone smaller than him, just he knew that would get him in more trouble.  
  
Finally, Abe and Chris managed to grab the two of them and pull them apart.  
  
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"  
  
Everyone cringed at the sound of Coach Boone's voice. That was just what they needed.  
  
The three coachs pushed their way in to the group of teens.  
  
Abe still held Sheryl, who, despite the fact that she didn't get hit intentionally, had several large scratches and smudges on her face, and a split lip of her own.  
  
Paul looked worse for the wear with two black eyes, a bloody lip and scratches of his own.  
  
"What happened?" Boone asked in frustration.  
  
"Sheryl was playing with us," Abe said, montioning to himself and Chris and Trey. "And, Paul started picking a fight with her."  
  
"Is that what happened?" Yoast asked.  
  
Sheryl and Paul said nothing but continued to stare hatefully at each other.  
  
"Yeah," Several of the other kids, including Nikki spoke up.  
  
"Since this is school property you're both suspended," Boone announced. "Three days, starting immediately. You can come back Friday."  
  
Paul stormed off, while Coach walked Sheryl back to the field house. Niether spoke.  
  
"Coach, I'm sorry." Sheryl said, when she couldn't stand the silence anymore.  
  
"Hush." He ordered. "You know better than to be fighting."  
  
"But, Coach! He said...."  
  
"I don't want to hear it right now, Sheryl." He interrupted. "Come in."  
  
He helped her clean her face up, and let Paul call for a ride home.  
  
"Get your stuff and go on home," he told Sheryl. "Go up to your room and stay there until I get home."  
  
"But..," She stopped. "Nevermind. I should have known you wouldn't want to hear the real story."  
  
She snatched her books up and walked out to her car. Throwing her books inside, she took off. She made it home in record time, slamming the door on her way in.  
  
Gerry, who was staying with them while he was training, came out of the kitchen. "Everything okay, Coach?"  
  
"No," she snapped. "I got suspended. For three days."  
  
"By who?"  
  
"Coach Boone." She wasn't going to offer much information.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"For fighting. With Paul Budds. Then Coach wouldn't even let me tell him why. He just told me to go home. That he didn't want to hear it right now." She flopped down on the sofa and folded her arms across her chest.  
  
"So, tell me." He offered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Tell me why you got in a fight," he explained. "That ain't like you."  
  
"Yeah, well." She told him the whole story.  
  
"Sounds like he got what he deserved. He grew up to be a jerk, too," Gerry said, when she was through. "But you understand that Coach Boone couldn't just punish him, since you were fighting too?"  
  
"Yeah, but Coach could have at least listened to me."  
  
"If I know Coach he will." Gerry smiled. "And, since I'm off tomorrow, you get to spend the day with your favorite person."  
  
She laughed. Gerry could always cheer her up. She gave him a big hug, before running up to her room.  
  
(Well, Kora, Sheryl didn't fight Trey, but she still kicked a boy's butt. GO SHERYL! LOL.) 


End file.
